Just Another Year...
by A-random-Turkle
Summary: My first HP fic, introducing one of my original characters, hopefully I will update frequently. Enjoy! Chapter 3 is finally up!!
1. Another Summer Ahead

DISCLAIMER: The HP characters are not mine. They never were, and never will be. Have a nice day.  
  
Just Another Year...  
  
  
  
Harry Potter, a young man at the age of 16, gazed out the window of his tiny room. 4 Privet Drive looked absolutely miserable, even more miserable than normal. The weather was acting up for the third time in the week, and for the third time that week, Harry watched thousands of cold raindrops race to the ground. He sighed, looked at the clock, sighed again, and continued his outward gaze. Time had almost stopped when Harry had arrived home fresh from his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It had been 3 weeks since then, and Harry was going mad. He wanted to be back at school with his friends, with magic, and with... a chill ran down Harry's spine as his mouth formed the name... Sara.  
  
Sara was an exchange student from the United States, and he had briefly run into her (literally) at King's Cross, knocking her to the ground. After idiotically apologizing over and over to her while helping her up, Hermione bounded over and announced that Sara was a pen pal of hers and had transferred to England to attend Hogwarts for the remainder of her school years. Sara was a lively girl, with long blonde hair that billowed in the wind as she stood Her eyes were a lovely shade of emerald green similar to Harry's, and a very curious (but amazing) smile. He knew that she was going to become a part of his life in the near future, and because of this, time slowed to a near stand-still. He had no idea why his mind kept drifting to her face, and little did he know that he was to find out soon.  
  
Another week came and went by, Harry still very alone. Hedwig had been gone for the last couple of days, either off on a long hunting trip, or she was trying to find somewhere less boring. Harry was working on his schoolwork, as nothing else seemed to pass the time anymore. In the middle of his Potions work, a scratch at the window announced Hedwig's return. Harry strode to the window and opened it, allowing his beautiful owl to glide into the room and gracefully land on Harry's bedpost. To Harry's delight, she had a letter tied to her leg. She wearily held her leg out, and Harry enthusiastically retrieved the letter. After he had released it from Hedwig's leg, she flew over to her cage to guzzle some water. As soon as Harry ripped the letter open, he discovered that it was from Hermione. It read:  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
Hey there, how have you been? I was half expecting that you were going to send me an owl as soon as you returned home asking for more food! It seems that your Aunt and Uncle have given up on your cousin's diet then. That's definitely good to hear. My summer has been very busy. Since Sara has been living with me, I've been taking her all around England, showing her how fascinating it is here. She absolutely loves it.  
  
I guess I really wrote to you to invite you to stay with me for the remainder of the summer. Ron's already said that he'll come, so we're just waiting on your word. We're planning a trip to Scotland, which will be grand. Hopefully you can come and enjoy it with us! Send Hedwig as soon as you get a reply, and my parents will come and pick you up whenever you're ready! Hope you're doing ok, and I hope to see you soon!  
  
Love from  
  
Hermione  
  
Harry's heart was pounding in his chest as he set the letter down and let his mind wander. This was what he had been waiting for, a ticket out of this secluded, boring life! He bounded down the stairs, letter back in his hand, and found his aunt and uncle sitting in the living room sipping tea and watching the news. Dudley had gone to stay with his aunt that week, which contributed to the overgrowing silence in the house.  
  
"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia?" Harry started, forming his words in his mind as he waited for them to look at him. Their heads turned, and Vernon grumbled his usual  
  
"What do you want now boy?" as a greeting for Harry.  
  
"Well, I just got a letter from my friend Hermione, and she wants me to spend the rest of my vacation with her and some other friends of ours," Harry began. Vernon considered his nephew momentarily, and then turned to face his wife.  
  
A/n: Yes, this wasn't the greatest by any means, but this is the start of my first story-fic ever. I hope you like it, because I have some I good ideas for this story. Hopefully you'll stick around to read the rest! 


	2. A Grand Turnaround

CHAPTER 2: A Grand Turnaround  
  
  
  
"Petunia, what are we supposed to say?" Vernon said, lowering his voice so Harry couldn't hear.  
  
"I don't know Vernon, if we let Harry go, he won't be here to annoy us, but we can't let him think that we've gone soft and will let him do whatever he wants!"  
  
"You're absolutely right. It's another double-edged sword for us, dear. However, I don't want that boy to start thinking that we want the best for him and let him go on his merry way". He turned to face Harry once again.  
  
"No Harry, we don't want you to go," he said in as cold of a voice as he could muster.  
  
"What?! Why not?" Harry asked, dumbfounded that he couldn't go. He stared at them in absolute loathing. They were ruining his life!  
  
"We don't want you to go off with your silly friends, you might get ideas," Vernon replied, sounding as though he really didn't have a good reason.  
  
"What bullshit!" Harry yelled, startling his aunt and uncle.  
  
"DON'T YOU SPEAK TO US LIKE THAT YOU STUPID BOY!" Vernon yelled, shocked that his nephew could be so dishonorable. Harry then turned on his heels and stormed to his room, desperately searching his mind for a plan. He thought of nothing, and angrily threw himself on his bed.  
  
He stayed in his room for a while, thinking of something that would convince his aunt and uncle into letting him go. He thought of threatening them with Sirius, but somehow he knew that that wouldn't work anymore. He thought until dark, and slipped into a light sleep, his mind still searching for a plan.  
  
He awoke with a start some hours later, face down on the floor.  
  
"How odd," Harry thought as he got onto his feet. He turned to get back into bed, and gasped. Sitting on his bed were none other than Fred and George Weasley. They were both grinning widely, apparently very pleased with themselves.  
  
"Pay up Fred," George said, smiling, as Fred grumbled something and handed his twin 5 silver sickles.  
  
"Come on, Fred, you lost the bet fair and square. No need for hard feelings".  
  
"But I was so damn close to beating you out. Just 30 seconds!"  
  
"A bet is a bet dear brother, and you lose," George said, laughing.  
  
Before Harry could ask what they were doing here, Harry asked George,  
  
"What bet George?" Turning to Harry, he smiled again before explaining.  
  
"We bet on how long it would take you to wake up after we flung you onto the floor," George explained, before the two got caught into a fit of laughter.  
  
"What? How long did it take me to come 'round?" Harry asked, thoroughly confused now.  
  
"7 minutes and 30 seconds on the dot" Fred said between outbursts of laughter.  
  
"Keep it down, will you?" Harry hissed, "You'll wake up my aunt and uncle! Besides, what are you two doing here of all places?"  
  
George started to answer, but Uncle Vernon gave a very loud snort down the hall which made them all jump and fall silent. After they determined that his snores resumed, he started again.  
  
"Well Harry, we conveniently, uh, stumbled upon the fact that your aunt and uncle wouldn't let you go to Hermione's...." he began, but was interrupted by Harry.  
  
"How the hell did you find out? That was only this afternoon!" he asked, astonished.  
  
"Well, uh, let's just say we have our ways, and leave it at that," Fred whispered. Harry wasn't very satisfied with Fred's answer, but let it pass and allowed George to continue.  
  
"We came over as soon as we could then, to smuggle you out of the house!" George exclaimed. Harry seemed delighted at the sound of it, which pleased Fred and George even more.  
  
"You see, Harry, instead of flying Dad's car to come get you again, we used some of the money you gave us and bought a muggle car with it!" Fred explained. "That way, we won't get in trouble with the Ministry of Magic. We've spent the summer learning how to fly, er, drive it as you say, and so we decided to come down here and get you!" Harry was so overjoyed, that he wanted to hug Fred and George. He held himself back, however, and instead smiled widely and stammered a big thank you.  
  
"Stop wasting time, Harry," George said, interrupting Harry's thanks, "we don't have long to get you out of here."  
  
With the help of Fred and George, they had Harry's things packed quickly and silently. After one last check of the room by Harry, nothing else was found, and they were finally ready to leave. Harry left a brief note to the Dursleys that read:  
  
Aunt Petunia and Uncle Dursley:  
  
I don't care about what you say. I'm going away with my friends, and there's nothing you can do about it. See you next summer.  
  
-Harry  
  
He left the note on his otherwise clear desk, and turned to face the twins.  
  
"Hey, you two, how're we going to get my trunk outside without waking my aunt and uncle?" Harry asked.  
  
"Leave it all to us Harry," assured Fred. He then opened up the window as far as it would go and Apparated outside to the car. As if on cue, the twins' older brother Bill Apparated into Harry's room.  
  
"All right Harry?" he said as he shook Harry's hand.  
  
"Good to see you again Bill," Harry said, smiling. Bill then whispered "Wingardium Leviosa!" and directed the trunk (with Harry, who was sitting on it) to the street below. He and George then Apparated to Harry's side, and they heaved the trunk into the car.  
  
Five minutes later, they were speeding away, leaving 4 Privet Drive, and any of Harry's previous woes behind. After a few woops and a little bit of laughter, they fell silent, enjoying their joy ride. For Harry, who was deeply relaxed and contented, it wasn't long until irresistible waves of sleep overcame his body, and he drifted off.  
  
"Wake up, Harry!" someone said, and Harry opened his eyes slowly. Before his eyes adjusted, he immediately became aware of the sunlight pouring through the car window. He looked up to say hi to Bill, but instead of Bill, he discovered his best friend Ron sitting next to him instead!  
  
"Heya Harry!" Ron said with a smile. Harry laughed at his surprise before greeting Ron.  
  
"Had a good summer so far?" Harry asked him.  
  
"Ah, it's been quite boring. Dad hasn't been around much, he's too busy with work. Percy's the same way, but I'm glad. He's been boring my ass off all summer." Harry laughed at this, remembering how Percy had been the last time he had seen him.  
  
"I'm really excited about Scotland though!" Ron continued. "I heard that they've got some of the biggest quidditch stores anywhere!"  
  
"Excellent!" Harry exclaimed. He hadn't given much thought to the actual trip since before the twins arrived that past night. Now that Ron had mentioned it to him, his stomach lurched. He would finally get to see Sara again! He turned to look out the window, hiding his secret anticipation from the others in the car. As they went on, Ron and Harry were amused by the many tales and adventures of Fred and George. It seemed that they had become more mischievous than ever (if that was possible). This passed the time, and before expected, they pulled into the Granger's driveway.  
  
As soon as Fred turned off the car engine, the front door of Hermione's house flew open, and Hermione ran up to them, Sara following behind her. After all the boys received warm hugs of welcome from Hermione, she gestured for Sara. She took a couple of steps forward to stand next to Hermione.  
  
"This is Sara, if you haven't forgotten" Hermione said, as Sara said hello to the others. As she let her eyes rest momentarily on Harry, she noticed his slight flush and tense body. She smiled into his beautiful eyes, and he returned a shy grin. 'She has the most remarkable smile I have ever seen' Harry thought to himself, as the gang stepped into Hermione's house. After a quick tour, it was time for Fred and George to be off.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to come along?" Hermione suggested as the twins stepped outside.  
  
"Tell you what," Fred said. "We've got some, erm, business to attend to later in the week..." Harry's eyes met Ron's, and Ron mouthed "I'll tell you later". Harry smiled and nodded.  
  
"We'll meet you up there Thursday morning, all right?"  
  
"Sounds lovely," Hermione answered. "See you next Thursday then!"  
  
With that, the twins left, and Hermione showed the boys to their room.  
  
A/n: Yes, I know this is getting really boring, but I promise you it will get better. Not necessarily in the next chapter, but please wait and it'll come! Thanks!! 


	3. The Journey Unfolds

CHAPTER 3: The Journey Unfolds  
  
As Harry gazed around at his new surroundings, he found Hermione's house as normal as his. Ron, on the other hand, was awed by much (especially the television). "How do all those bloody Muggles fit in that little box?" Ron was completely perplexed. The other 3 burst out laughing at his amazement. "I promise to explain it to you someday," Harry said with a smile. "Honestly Ron, you should've taken Muggle Studies instead of Divination," Hermione added with a laugh. "Oh, enough with it already," Ron snapped. It sounded as though the mere mention of school would ruin his entire vacation. By now, Harry and Ron were unpacked and nicely settled in. For dinner, they ate on the back porch. There, Ron explained to them what Fred and George needed to do in Scotland. "Well, those two have been really keen on the idea of opening Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," Ron began. "They've been doing tons of traveling in that Muggle car, going all over Europe looking at other joke shops, and advertising their merchandise that they've created. I guess they're using the excuse of vacationing with us so Mum won't get suspicious. They don't plan on telling her anything until they open up shop. "I don't blame them for not telling your mom," Hermione added. "She would definitely destroy all that they made. It would've been a pity too, because they've spent so much time developing their stuff." The evening ended peacefully, with other conversations about their summer so far. Sara talked about her tour of England, and about how she's always wanted to go. "Really, it's like a dream come true being able to live here. The best part is your guys' accents," Sara laughed. "I've always wanted to sound like that; I love it when you people talk." "It's so good that Sara fits in with us," Hermione said, flashing a grin at Sara. This was very true, of course (you know Hermione, she knows a lot). Sara was very keen-witted and had an outstanding sense of humor. She loved adventure, and was not afraid to get in trouble along the way. After they watched the sun sink below the trees, they went inside to prepare for bed and the trip the next morning. All four were up by sunrise, as they were all too excited to sleep any longer. After they finished breakfast, there was really nothing left to do but sit around and watch the clock until it was time to leave. When that time finally came around (which took much too long in their minds), they set off for the airport. At the airport, they checked in their luggage and found the waiting area for their plane. They sat by the window and watched the planes take off. "What's the matter Ron?" Sara asked suddenly. Ron was being quite fidgety and looked very pale-faced. "I think I know," Harry said, jumping into the conversation. "Ron's nervous about flying. Listen Ron, a plane's nothing but a huge flying car that gets us to where we want to be faster." Ron's fidgeting ceased, but he still looked rather pale and slightly shaken. "Hey Ron," Hermione said soothingly, as she rested her hand on top of Ron's tense one. "Everything will be just fine. If it makes you feel better, I'll sit next to you on the plane." Hermione felt Ron's hand relax, and saw his face turn from white to a shade of pink as he nodded slightly. "...All right then," he said, flushing even more. Sara and Harry's eyes met briefly, but they both quickly looked away so they wouldn't burst into laughter. Suddenly, Harry's stomach jolted. 'This means I'll be sitting with Sara!' Harry thought to himself. His mind raced, immediately filling with questions. 'What will I say? How am I supposed to act? Do I look all right?' He felt that he needed hours to think this over, but unfortunately for him, time started flying. Before he knew it, they were boarding the plane. Their seats were near the front of the plane, so they found them quickly and sat. They remained respectfully quiet as the stewardesses demonstrated the usage of safety equipment. "In case the plane was to crash, you can use your seat as..." Ron's arm tensed again, gripping his arm rest harder than was necessary. 'I didn't know that these things could crash!' Ron thought wildly. This made flying even worse than he thought. "Calm down Ron," Hermione whispered in Ron's ear, making him jump slightly and flush. "We're not going to crash; just enjoy the ride". Even with Hermione's extra comfort, it looked as though Ron wouldn't fully calm down until the plane landed in Scotland. Hermione buckled her seat belt, and then helped Ron with his (as he still didn't understand the concept (or point) for them). Hermione kept her hand clenched tightly in Ron's as the plane gathered speed and took off. The plane leveled after a couple minutes of climbing, and Hermione finally felt Ron's hand relax. She looked up at him and smiled warmly. In the seats behind Ron and Hermione, Sara sat jamming to her CD she was listening to, Harry watching her intently. She looked up momentarily, and caught Harry's gaze, (even though he quickly tried to avert his gaze). She turned her CD player off and put it back in her bag. "What? Don't you like it?" Sara asked. A sly smile crept across her face, letting Harry know that she was only kidding. "Uh, no, that's not it," Harry replied sheepishly. 'Why can't I say anything?' Harry thought wildly. He was driving himself crazy. His biggest opportunity to flirt with the girl he's wanted more than any other, and he was tongue-tied, completely dumb-struck. 'Damn it!' Harry thought. "Something wrong Harry?" Sara's melodic voice slashed through Harry's thoughts. "No, sorry, just thinking. I guess I've got a lot on my mind." "Well, why don't you relieve yourself and tell me your troubles?" Harry would've gaped at her if he wasn't so lost in his thoughts. All he really wanted to do was confess the desire he had for her that was burning throughout his body. Instead, he spoke of the only other thoughts that lurked in his brain. "Well," he began, "I really don't know where to start. My summer's been really crummy so far. The only thing that's been keeping me going is the trip." Sara considered Harry for a moment. She knew this wasn't the truth, but she didn't know what was. She smiled at Harry reassuringly. "This will be a fun trip, so who cares about what's already been? The past is the past, and we've got the whole future awaiting!!" "I guess you're right," Harry said, after thinking over what Sara had told him. "I don't want to hang on to the past. It's not something I enjoyed." After their conversation, Harry took to gazing out the window, while Sara settled into her seat and nodded off into a light sleep. Harry, hearing Sara's heavier breathing, turned to look. Just looking at her, Harry wanted to melt. Before him, an angel slept. All he wanted to do was gather her up in his arms and hold her for the rest of eternity. 'If only I had the balls to tell her what she means to me' Harry thought sadly. He was so absorbed by the sleeping beauty, that he didn't hear the stewardess. "Excuse me sir," the stewardess said, tapping Harry on the shoulder to get his attention. He quickly looked up, flushing in embarrassment. "Would you please wake up your friend?" she asked, her eyes flashing in Sara's direction. It was lunch time on the plane, and the stewardesses were passing out the meal trays. Harry looked from the stewardess to Sara. 'I'm just gonna grit my teeth and do it.' he thought to himself, as he gently shook Sara's shoulder. Sara was instantly awake at Harry's touch. She sat up and looked at him with curiosity. "What's up Harry?" Sara asked. Harry pointed at the stewardess, and managed to mumble "lunch". "Oh! Thanks for waking me Harry!" Obviously, she had no idea how hard of a task waking her up was to Harry. They ate in silence, until Ron turned to look behind his seat. "Hey you two, you've been pretty quiet so far. What's going on?" Ron shot a grin at Harry, who in return frowned at his friend. Ron's grin disappeared quickly. "Uh, ok. Isn't this plane thing cool?" "Wow, Ron, what made you change your mind about flying all of a sudden?" Harry asked. Ron's whole perspective of flying had changed when they had leveled off. "Well, like Herm said, it's just a huge indoor broomstick!" The others laughed, while Hermione, who had turned around, blushed. "It was the only way to calm him down. People were beginning to stare," Hermione whispered to Sara and Harry. As the plane progressed across the sky, Sara, Harry and Hermione had fallen asleep. Ron remained awake, avidly watching the beautiful, dream- like cloud formations. 'Flying isn't so bad," he thought to himself. As soon as he had thought that, the plane began to shake. "Attention passengers," a voice called out of no where. "We will be experiencing some turbulence as we descend and start to land. Please fasten your seat belts. Thank you, and thank you for choosing European Airlines." Ron freaked as the plane continued to shake. "Hermione, what's going on?" Ron asked as he shook her awake. "Huh, what? What's wrong Ron?" Hermione rubbed her eyes sleepily, and felt the turbulence. "That's nothing Ron, just turbulence. It's common on planes." "But what's wrong? Why is the plane shaking?" "It's only doing that because of how high up we are. That means we're there then!!" Hermione squealed excitedly. She turned around and poked Harry and Sara awake. Their spirits soared as the plane landed and they got off. Ron looked ready to kiss the ground. He was happy to be safe on land again. The group found their luggage quickly, and looked around. The airline was a busy place. Many people were rushing around, looking for their luggage, or finding the right plane. "What a great trip this is going to be," Hermione said, beaming as they stepped out of the airport and into the Scotland sun. 


End file.
